In the News

January 20, 2012 — The New Hampshire House on Wednesday voted 207-147 to approve a bill (HB 228) that would prohibit the state from contracting with organizations providing abortion services that are not covered by Medicaid, the Concord Monitor reports. The bill's supporters did not secure the two-thirds majority needed to override a possible veto by the governor, who opposes the measure (Spolar, Concord Monitor, 1/19). The legislation now proceeds to the Senate (New Hampshire Union Leader, 1/18).

The bill's language was amended to specifically apply to abortion services not covered by Medicaid, which covers the procedure in cases of rape, incest or when the woman's life is in danger (Concord Monitor, 1/19). The bill also was amended to remove a prohibition on abortion coverage in health insurance contracts for public employees (New Hampshire Union Leader, 1/18).

In October, the Republican-led House Health and Human Services Committee voted 12-5 to recommend dismissal of the bill on the House floor. Prior to Wednesday's vote, the House Republican leadership urged its caucus to reject the committee's report and support the bill.

Supporters of the bill said taxpayer dollars should not go to organizations, such as Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, that provide abortion services. Opponents said the bill would eliminate preventive health care options for low-income, uninsured women. PPNNE provides services such as cancer screenings and contraception to about 16,000 patients in New Hampshire annually. Abortion care accounts for 3% of the organization's services, and no public money funds the procedure.

Gov. Opposes Bill

Colin Manning, a spokesperson for Gov. John Lynch (D), said HB 228 "isn't about abortion, it's about health care for women." The bill would prevent "tens of thousands of New Hampshire women" from being able to choose their own health care provider and they "could lose access to family planning, cancer screenings and health education," Manning added (Concord Monitor, 1/19).

Video Round Up

An Interview with Justice Ginsburg on the State of Abortion Access

In a rare interview, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg tells MSNBC's Irin Carmon it is a "crying shame" that state abortion restrictions are making the procedure increasingly "[i]naccessible" to many low-income women. Watch the video

Datapoints

A Look at Abortion Coverage in the ACA's Marketplace Plans, Repro Health Report Card, More

This week's charts depict why abortion coverage is unavailable in many states' ACA marketplace plans for 2015. We also feature a national reproductive health report card and an interactive look at abortion restrictions in Missouri. Read more

At A Glance

"[Roe v. Wade] protects a woman's freedom to make her own choices about her body and her health, and reaffirms a fundamental American value: that government should not intrude in our most private and personal family matters."

— President Obama, commemorating the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Read more